Emulsive agent and the manufacture thereof



Patented Aug. 11, i925.

UNITED STATES PATENT-OFFICE.

WIIIFRED ERNEST IBILLINGHAME, LEE, ENGLAND.

EHULSIVE AGENT AND THE MANUFACTURE THEREOF.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

Be. it known that I, WILFRED ERNEST BILLINGHAME, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, and a resident of Grove Park; Lee, in the county of Kent, England, have' invented certain new and useful Improvements in or Relating to Emulsive Agents and the Manufacture Thereof, of which the following is a specification.

It is already known to act upon proteins and protein containing substances (e. al-

I bumen and casein) with caustic alkali and to incorporate the resulting alkinated or soluble proteins or protein containing substances, or solutions thereof, in soap or to employ same as emulsifying agents in the preparation of aqueous emulsions of hituminous substances, resins, oils, waxes and the like.

The present invention hasfor its object to provide an improved emulsive agent by actmg upon protein or protein containing substances with caustic alkali and it re sides essentially in acting upon pure proteinor a commercially pure protein of the degree of purity hereinafter specified with caustic potash or caustic soda in the manner and in the proportions also hereinafter indicated,

According to the invention an emulsive agentis produced by acting upon a pure protein, or a commerciall pure protein containing not less than a out80% of pure protein, ina thoroughly wetted or soaked condition and in the presence of several times its own weight of water, with caustic potash or caustic soda at temperatures below about 140 F. so as to efi'ect the dissociation of the protein without saponifying the resulting amido fatty acids to any appreci able extent, i. e. so as'to obtain a roduct in which the COOH and'the K H (or -NaOH groups are co-existent and not in combination. 1 The quantity of caustic alkali' employed may vary between and 100%, of caustic potash or the equivalent of caustic soda reckoned on the weight of "the pure protein or rotein containing substance of the degree 0 purity indicated. The

re-action can be completed 1n an hour at ordithan F.

nary temperatures, i. e. without the application of external heat. I External heat may be applied but the temperature must be kept below about 140 F. but preferably not less Application filed ma 15, 1925. Serial No. 80,610.

in finished soap at the melting pots, or a may be added to baths forwashing and. scouring cotton, linen and woollenfabrics, or -.may be used for the purpose ofeniulsifging oils, fats, wood tars, and bitumen an bituminous materials or compounds either natural or artificially prepared.

The incorporation of. 1.0% of the improvedemulsive agent in finishedsoap has been found to harden the soap and improve its lathering and cleansing properties.

Aqueous emulsions of oils, (mineral, animal and vegetable), and fats may be prepared by dissolving in the desired volume of water suitable proportions of the emulsive agent (e. g. from 1% to 5% calculated. on the weight of the oil or fat), and then pouring the oil or melted fat into the 'mixture in a continuous stream during brisk stirring. Alternatively, the emulsive'agent may be first mixed with the oil or melted fat and the mixture be subsequently added to the water;

Similarly, aqueous emulsions of wood tars may be prepared by dissolving the desired quantity of emulsive agent intherequired volume of water and then adding the solu-' gradually during stirring or tion to the tar agitation.

In incorporating the emulsive agent in soap solutions, the emulsive agent may be poured into the soap solution which may be at any temperature from ordinary tem eratures to boiling point and should be stirred or agitated until the emulsive agent is dis-v solved, Inthi s way from 10 to 50%,of the emulsive agent,.'reckon ed onsthe weight of the soap, may be incoiporated in soap soluj 1 tions with correspon ng increase of the emulsive. properties of the solutions.

7 To prepare an a ueous 'emulsionof vbi-- tuminous material, t e latter is melted at a temperature oi? 22 "230 F. and has poured into, and thoroughly incorporated with, it

agitation, from 1% to 5% of the emulsion, the agitation being continued and the temperature 'maintained. The emulsion is afterwards cooled, preferably while agitation is continued, when it is ready for use.

The resulting aqueous bituminous emul-- sion may be sprayed or otherwise applied to the surfaces of roads, or be used as a binding medium in the making of roads by mixing it with, or otherwise applying it to, mineral aggregate, e. g. stone, gravel, sand and the like. The emulsion may also be used as a binding medium in the manufacture of briquettes of carbonaceous materials such as coal, coke, lignite, peat and the like by mixing the emulsion either while hot or in the cold with, or otherwise applying it to, the carbonaceous material and forming the material thus treated into briquettes; The emulsion may also be used as'a paint, dip or preservative for covering metals, stone, wood, felt or roofing mate'- rials, or any materials or objects which are to be .preserved and rendered waterproof.

What I. claim as my invention and desire .to secure by Letters atent is agent, which comprises mixing a substance containing at least 80% of pure protein, with several times its own weight 0 water, and acting upon the thus prepared protein with suflicient alkali to eifect a. dissociation of the protein into its amido fatty acids without saponifying the latter at a temperature below. 140 F., and obtain a product in which the COOH and the alkali groups are co-existent'and not in combination. 1

2. The process of producing an emulsive agent, WlllCh comprisesvmixing a substance containing at least 80% of pure protein with between 6 and 10 times its own weight in water, and acting upon this protein mixture with sufiicient' caustic alkali to efiect a dissociation of the protein into its amido fatty- ,from commercially pure protein by suf ficient caustic alkali to efi'ect the dissocia- 'tion with the alkali present uncombined.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand. WILFRED ERNEST BlLHNGl-IAHE. 

